The first year or two after I got an agent and started auditioning for film and television, I auditioned almost entirely for one-line parts. In this article, I want to share some tips and tricks to help you understand how to prepare for a one-line audition.
I remember auditioning for Rise of The Planet of The Apes, Elysium, Supernatural, Smallville, and so many others that I can’t even remember anymore. Almost all of them were one or two-line parts. Things with a job description and a number, for example, Paramedic One, Store Owner, Angry Person in a Car. You get the point.
One-liners can be a really big part of your initial career as an actor, and the biggest trap that new actors fall into is memorizing their line. Let me rephrase that; the biggest trap new actors fall into is focusing on only memorizing their line. (Take a look at the article about how actors read scripts to prepare for rehearsals and auditions.)
Don’t get me wrong, memorization is essential as an actor. However, there are other little details you can add that will make you stand out once you get into the audition.
Below is a list of tips that I used to really prepare not only, for my one line auditions but also for the character.
Tip One: Have a subtle action for two to three seconds before your line.
I call this a Button. This is the hint of an action, maybe it’s a hint of a change in emotion or one or two words that you throw in at the end of your scene to end strong.
Note: Don’t mime complex activities but have a hint of one.
For example, instead of driving a car like you’re making a lot of left and right turns, drive your car like you are driving on a really straight road with no traffic. Instead of typing on a keyboard, pretend your hands are simply resting on the keyboard, and you’re just reading something on the screen.
Tip Two: Pick five emotions and do your one line 10 times with each one of those emotions.
You won’t always perform with the right emotion first, so it’s important to be prepared for the casting director to ask you to perform your line another way. Practice it angry, anxious, excited, bored. The more you explore different emotions the more prepared you will be when you get in there. (You can read more about this exercise and others in the Acting Exercises You Can Do Alone article.)
Tip Three: Don't overdo your costume.
A lot of these one-line parts are for newer actors. Often a lot of green actors will go above and beyond to dress the part. This can be distracting and sometimes look a little unprofessional.
For example, if the part calls for a doctor, just having a green v-neck top that looks like scrubs would be enough. (For more examples, take a look at the props section in the gifts for actors article.)
Are there more things we can do? Of course! There are a lot of other exercises and tips I can give you, but if you are starting out as an actor this should be more than enough to help you book your first part.
To give you a better idea of the exercises, I’ve put together a video. Hopefully, this helps you prep for your next one-line audition! Good luck Actors, you got this!
Curious about how you’ll make money after you book your part? Check out our article How Actors Make Money.
